


New Inspiration

by narutoniue



Series: Lonashipping Week 2019 [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: F/M, Lonashipping Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 02:46:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18228869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narutoniue/pseuds/narutoniue
Summary: Part 1 of Lonashipping Week 2019Figure Skating AU





	New Inspiration

She was a national champion at 14, world champion at 15 and 16, and expected to bring home a gold medal when the Olympics rolled in next skating season. She came from a humble background, raised by a single mom who did what she could to support her daughter’s love of skating. She was considered a prodigy, the type of skater who saw and could replicate on the first try. And she managed all of this while still going to school and maintaining A’s in her classes. She was also known as Alola’s sweetheart, due to her bubbly personality and obsession with Pokémon. The Alolan and Kantoian fans soaked her up and would throw Pokémon plushes onto the ice after her performances.

He could not quite claim the same level of success. While placing third at Nationals when he was fifteen, he then hit a growth spurt, making a time period where he had to adjust to his longer limbs and change in center of balance. He came from a wealthy background, so there was no lack of money that his mother wouldn’t put into his training, extra off-ice training and equipment in order to ascertain he would become a champion. He had the most expensive skates and blades and the most well-done custom costumes. Yet he could never place first, and sometimes was just short of the top three. He chance of making the Olympics teetered on his upcoming performances. And due to his sometimes stand-offish personality, he didn’t have the fan base she had. But his mother continued to push both him and his sister, living vicariously through them, after failing to place higher than 11th in the nationals during her time skating.

Despite the pressure from his mother and the lack of fan support, Gladion would try again to reach first place this year.

All the skaters were in the warm-up room, stretching and doing their off-ice exercises. Gladion knew he would also need to compete against Hau, another fan favorite, whose personality and smiling face captured fans of all genders. Hau always had energetic performances that got the audience into it, clapping and cheering along to the music. He watched as Hau chatted with Moon, who was likely to take another gold at this year’s Grand Prix. Her hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, unlike her usual hairstyle of a slicked back bun when she was performing. Gladion never paid much attention to her, other than the media hype he couldn’t avoid, and didn’t realize she also sported bangs. With her hair in a relaxed style, he found himself staring at her longer than he planned.

He felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see it was Lillie, his sister. She was an ice dancer, and her partner, Ilima, was chatting it up with Kiawe. After concluding that Lillie didn’t have the strength to pull off the necessary jumps to make it in Ladies’ singles, their mom switched her to ice dance, determined to still see her child succeed in some manner. Usually, Lillie did well, but not well enough to place in the top 5. But of course, their mother continued to push Lillie.

“You were staring.” Lillie stated simply.

Gladion scoffed it off. “Nothing wrong with evaluating my rivals.”

“Hmm, since when do you skate ladies’ singles?”

Gladion made a grunting noise. “And why would I be staring at her?”

Lillie shrugged. “Everyone likes her, Gladion. It’s kind of hard for the guys not to fall for her. Even some of the girls too.”

“Well, that’s stupid, because no one has time for relationships right now. Especially with the Olympics on the horizon.”

“Doesn’t mean there aren’t flings that happen during these competitions.”

Gladion shot a look at his sister. “Have you ever known me as the ‘fling’ type of guy.”

Lillie sighed. “No, you’ve never had any sort of date even. But maybe a fling would be good for you. Or at least trying to be friendly with the other skaters. Make a friend. You don’t exactly have a good repertoire with anyone.”

“Lillie, let’s work on our routine.” Ilima had approached them. As usual, he gave off his princely but authoritative presence.

Lillie nodded, but gave Gladion another look before heading off. “Seriously, think about it.”

* * *

The next day, Gladion had his short program. He planned for two quads, but ended up falling on the second one, despite getting all the rotations in. Hau had a slightly easier program, but all his landings were clean, so he barely edged out Gladion on the point total.

Gladion sighed as he headed out of the rink. He couldn’t make any mistakes tomorrow. Not if he wanted a chance to reach the Grand Prix final. As he reached the exit, he saw Moon standing there, shifting her weight back and forth between her left and right foot. She glanced up to see Gladion getting closer.

“Hi!” Moon smiled. “I know we have briefly met before, but I feel like we never really chatted. Have you eaten yet? Would you be up to grabbing some dinner?”

Gladion raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t your short program tomorrow? Shouldn’t you be focusing on that?”

Moon pouted. “Of course I am. But I still need to eat, and I find I perform better if I give myself a mental break the night before. So what do you say?”

Gladion thought back to what Lillie told him about trying to be more open. He sighed. “Okay.”

Moon’s eyes lit up and she beamed at him. “Yay!” They headed out of the rink and walked a few blocks down to the hotel the skaters from Alola were staying at. Gladion went to his room to drop off his stuff, before meeting Moon back in the lobby. After walking for a couple of minutes in silence, Gladion couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you want to chat with me?”

Moon scrunched her nose in confusion. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know.” Gladion couldn’t help but suspect Lillie had something to do with this, but he knew Moon and Lillie weren’t very close. “I mean, I think we are complete opposites, in personality. I feel like you and Hau are probably matches made in heaven.”

“Hau is my best friend, actually!” Moon grinned. “We usually room together if we are at the same competitions.”

Gladion felt his eyes bulge a bit. “But he’s a guy!”

Moon blinked. “Yes, he is.” She tilted her head.

Gladion faintly was reminded of a post he read once about Moon being incredibly naïve and innocent. He assumed it was simply just speculation. Gladion shook his head. “Nevermind.” As he glanced at the shops across the street, he failed to notice the slight blush appear on Moon’s cheeks.

“I was hoping you would be willing to have dinner with me, since the last time I tried to ask you, it was a failure.” Moon admitted, laughing nervously.

Gladion found himself stopping in his tracks. “When was that?”

Moon giggled nervously, twisting her hands. “Um, last year’s Internationaux de Kalos?”

Gladion racked his brain, trying to remember when Moon had approached him. That was the event where he fell on two jumps, resulting in a poor score, assuring he would not make the Grand Prix Final. He was in a pretty bad mood, knowing he would get a less than amicable call from his mother later on. Seeing Gladion uncomfortable, Moon shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.” She smiled. “I’m just glad to be able to have hang out with you now.”

Gladion rolled his eyes. “You are a strange one, aren’t you?”

Moon laughed. “I don’t give up easily. I keep trying until I succeed.”

“So do you feel like you succeeded now?”

_Last year…_

_Moon was in the stands, watching the Men’s singles short program. That’s when he stepped onto the ice for a brief warm up. Blonde hair. Peridot eyes. Model-like features. Moon couldn’t help but stare at him, as he skated around the ice._

_When he skated, he made some small errors, but there was something to the ferocity that he skated on the ice the exuded a quiet confidence, yet had a gentleness at the same time. Moon glanced behind her to White, a skater from Unova. “What’s the deal with him?” Even though he also was from Alola, he must have trained at a different rink._

_White rolled her eyes. “He keeps to himself a lot. Avoids the after parties and skips chatting it up with sponsors. Comes from a rich family, so he doesn’t need to worry about money.”_

_“Hmm,” Moon murmured. She turned back to the ice, as she watched Gladion wait in the kiss and cry for his score from the judges. She was always the type of person who followed her intuition. And her intuition was telling her that maybe, something good would come from getting to know Gladion better._

Moon’s cheeks reddened, before she leaned in a bit, a coy smile gracing her face. Gladion found himself feeling his cheeks also heat up. 

“Not entirely,” Moon whispered, before pulling back, and continuing walking ahead.

Gladion stared at Moon’s back, attempting to calm his racing heart. Maybe trying yet again to be number one in skating wasn’t all he should aim for.


End file.
